


(Not) The Imagination

by context_please



Series: Atlantis Episode Tags / Codas [3]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Character Study, Episode: s03e10 The Return Part 1, Friendship, Geek John Sheppard, Geeks everywhere, Gen, Sam meets John, a little bit of angst, outsider pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-07 23:08:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4281513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/context_please/pseuds/context_please
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam's kind of curious about the one guy who actually likes Rodney McKay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Not) The Imagination

**Author's Note:**

> Just a stray thought that turned into a drabble. Given how much Sam seemed hate McKay, I figured she had to be curious about his new BFF. This is what happened.

When the return of the Atlantis Expedition was announced, the first thing Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter felt was sadness. The members of Atlantis had worked so hard over the past couple of years that she wished they could have stayed there after fighting as hard as they had. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they had been unceremoniously kicked out by the Ancients, who – to Carter’s continual exasperation – felt that they always had more right to anything than the humans surrounding it.

The second thing she thought was that she would finally get to meet the one guy who actually seemed to _genuinely like_ Doctor Rodney McKay.

She wasn’t there for the day that the Expedition returned to Earth, but when she set foot on the base two days later, it was easy to see the people who had been a part of Atlantis – they still needed to find jobs and housing, and so many other necessities that hadn’t been an issue in the city, but now made the former Expedition members look lost, hopelessly displaced.

The sadness was back, but Sam pushed it away, concentrating on moving through the hallways as she always did instead of counting the lost sheep now populating the SGC. When she finally made it to the mathematics labs, she was surprised to see all of her coworkers gathered together, talking to another member.

Coming closer, Sam finally saw that it was Colonel John Sheppard, the man she’d been hoping to meet. His hair was unruly and undoubtedly non-regulation, his posture was slumped, and the air around him was playing the role of a satellite dish, magnifying the defeat in his features. ‘Look, I just wanted to know if you had anything for me to do,’ he was telling Doctor Getner, impatience showing on his face. ‘I work in the Atlantis labs all the time.’

Sam pushed to the front. ‘What going on here?’ she demanded.

Getner instantly leapt in. ‘Colonel Sheppard wants to work with us,’ he said, the sneer obvious in his tone.

‘Colonel Carter,’ Sheppard acknowledged, holding out a hand, completely ignoring Getner’s tone. ‘I was offering my assistance to the Mathematics department, but apparently they aren’t as short-staffed as I hear.’

Sam, in the five seconds that she had known Sheppard, decided that she liked him. It probably helped that he had a kind of attitude that wasn’t glaring – like Jack’s – but more subtle; smarter. ‘Colonel Sheppard,’ she returned, shaking his hand. ‘I’ve been keeping track of your work on Atlantis, and I have to say that it was nice to see some theories propelled by your proofs. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’

‘Thank you,’ Sheppard replied, and she could see in his eyes that he genuinely meant it, when she looked past the smirk that had spread across his face. ‘Look, I really like this kind of stuff, and I’m going stir-crazy around here, so why not do something useful, right?’

‘Of course – we’d be happy to have you,’ Sam smiled back at him, already guiding him to a mostly clear workstation. In a matter on minutes, Sheppard was intently studying the whiteboards in front of him, jotting down formulae absently onto his notepad, sitting on the desk and looking perfectly at ease. The tension in his shoulders lessened as the afternoon went by, and Sam found herself engaging him in conversation about his work, only to find a brilliant mind and a funny person.

She’d finally met the man who called Rodney McKay a friend, and there was no reason why it shouldn’t be true. Maybe it was the fact that Sheppard didn’t take anyone’s shit, or maybe even that he was laid-back enough to let McKay’s worst aspects slide.

But if Sam had to bet?

She’d say they were friends because they shared a passion for math and science that perhaps they could only understand in one another.

As they day drew to a close and Sheppard closed the notepad – which was now fifteen pages of formulae heavier – Samantha Carter thought that John Sheppard was probably the best friend Rodney McKay could ever have.

(And maybe, if she was lucky, Rodney would share.)


End file.
